Car-coupling.



No. 637,966. Patented Nov. 28, |899.

N. Ll-:wls & c. sPATEs.

CAR CUUPLING.

(Application led Apr. 3, 1899.)

mgunj (No Model.)

Inventors Ll/itesses flttomeys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEe NORMANBIRCHAM LEWIS AND CHARLES SPATES, OF ROSSWAY, CANADA.

oAR-couPLlNc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,966, dated November28, 1899.

Application filed April 3, 1899. Serial No. 711,551. (No` model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, it nto/,y concern:

Be it known that we, NORMAN BIRCHAM LEWIS and CHARLES SPA'rEs, subjectsof Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Rossway, countyof Digby, Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in CarCoup- 1ers; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to makeand use the same.

This invention relates to car-couplers, and has for its obj ect toprovide an automaticallylocking car-coupler which is simple andeconomical in construction and eective and reliable in operation.

To these ends the invention consists in a car-coupler constructed andoperated substantially as illustrated and described, and defined in theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters indicate similarparts in all the views, Figure l is a view in perspective of theimproved car-coupler applied in operative position on a car ready to becoupled to another car. Fig. 2'is a vertical longitudinal centralsection, the coupling plate being shown in elevation and the parts beingin the operative position shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar view toFig. 2, the parts being shown in the position they assume when coupledwith another car. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the coupling-plate.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coupling-link employed in thisinvention.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a metal casing which is adaptedto be rigidly affixed to the under side of the car-body or platform, itbeing understood that each car is to be provided with a coupler at eachend. The casingA is open at its front end and has an opening on itsupper side, which extends from a point near the front end to a pointabout half-way to the end of the casing. This opening is adapted to beclosed by a removable cover-plate A and permits the insertion within theinterior of the casing A of the coupling-plate B. rlhe cover-plate A isprovided near its front end with an orifice through which thecoupling-pin C may be inserted,

and the said cover is made much thicker at this point to provide amplestrength and at the same time permit the pin to be retained in itsraised position, as shown in Fig. 2. The orifice in the cover-plate isin alinement and corresponds with an opening in the upper and lowersides ot' the casing A, so that when the coupling-pin is dropped intoplace it is held at three points of its length, thus aiording maximumstrength. The casing A is also provided with a central here extendingfrom the hollow interior toward the rear part, in which is housed aspiral spring d and which is also adapted to receive thethrust of a pinb, secured to the end of the couplingplate B, by the force of which thesaid spring d is compressed.

The lower face of the hollow interior of the casing A is provided with alongitudinal groove d', which forms a guideway in which the iiange b ofthe coupling-plate B is adapted to slide. The outer end of this groovea' terminates a short distance from the orice for the coupling-piu, thusforming a stop for the forward movement of the coupling-plate, while therear movement is stopped by the solid face of the casing, as it is bythis portion of the casing that the heavy shocks are resisted.

The coupling-plate B is formed of a solid piece of metal, preferablyhardened steel, and

has a broad smooth upper and rear surface, which extend at right anglesto each other. A central web Z22 depends from the under face of theplate B and is provided with a longitudinal slot b3 and has on its underface the flange b'. Upon the upper front face of the coupling-plate B issecured an extension b4, which is adapted to form a rest or support forthe coupling-pin when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2.Transverse lugs b5 are formed one on each side of the web b2, whichserve the purpose of preventing the coupling-link from dropping too fardown when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The coupling-link Gis formed much shorter than those in ordinary use andis of substantially yoke shape, the arms being provided at theirextremities with orifices g, through which is passed a securing-pin g',which also IOO passes through the slot b3, thus securely connecting thecoupling-link tO the couplingplate and yet allowing all the necessaryplay.

From the above description it will be seen that When the coupler is notin use or is made ready to couple to the spring ce forces thecoupler-plate forward and the extension b4 asses beneath the Orifice inthe cover-plate Orice and is supported by said extension. The coupler isnow in Operative position preparatory tO being connected with thecoupler Of the next car. During the act Of coupling the force of theimpact of the coupling-link against the coupler plate forces itV backagainst the tension of the spring, which now acts as a buffer, andwithdraws the eXtension from beneath the coupling-pin, which immediatelyslips down into the sockets Or Orices of the casing, and thus completesthe coupling. By means of this construction it Will be seen that evenshould the parts of one coupling give Way the cars would still remaincoupled, as each coupling-pin passes through both coupling-links.

'While We have herein shown a preferred form of carrying our inventioninto effect, yet We do not desire to limit Ourselves to such preferreddetails Of construction, but claim the right to use any and allmodifications The coupling-pin is now inserted in said ably mounted inthe said chamber, a pin secured to said plate and adapted to enter abore formed in said casing, a spring arranged in said bore and adaptedto Operate against said pin, a coupling-link secured to said plate by apin passing through a slot formed in said plate, said coupling-linkbeing so arranged as tO engage a coupling-pin passed through theorifices Of said casing, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence Of twoWitnesses.

NORMAN BIRUHAM LEWIS. CHARLES SPATES.

XVitnesses:

GEO. B. BISHOP, JACOB W. 'GILLILANn

